Overview
After over 50 years in the same location, the Sydney Fish Market is on track for a major facelift, with the NSW government releasing plans over the weekend for an insane $250 million redesign. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the Sydney's home of fresh seafood will be relocated to a slick Danish-designed building adjacent to its existing location on Blackwattle Bay.
Designed by 3XN Architects (Quay Quarter Tower), the building will be located on the south side of the bay, backing onto Wentworth Park. The futuristic-looking design includes two storey, floor-to-ceiling glass windows facing the bay, along with large, timber boardwalk and dock that juts out into the bay. Adjoining the market will be a commercial, retail and residential strip.
The hope is to create a world-class dining destination that will dramatically increase fish market visitors — Sydney Fish Market Pty Ltd general manager Bryan Skepper told SMH he was aiming to create "the world's best fish market" and expects to double foot traffic from the existing three million per year to a whopping six million post-renovation.
While Berejiklian has expressed hope that existing market tourism will pay the redevelopment costs (avoiding additional costs to taxpayers), competing construction costs from the Sydney light-rail and WestConnex, which are nowhere near completion, would seem to make this hope rather doubtful. As SMH points out, concrete contractors Hymix and Hanson would also be forced from the surrounding area, as the company has been criticised for high pollution levels and could not coexist with the planned redevelopment. The area's lack of new affordable housing is also a concern to opposition leaders, with the residential strip undoubtedly going to cost a pretty penny and potentially add to the housing crisis.
Site ground-breaking is set for late 2018, with construction expected to take two to three years and a draft design from UrbanGrowth NSW expected to be released in late 2017.
Via SMH.